Steam-excavator.



Patented Aug. 7, I900.

DE WILTON R; FRENCH.

STEAM EXCAVATOB. (Application filed Dec. 14, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet (No Modeh) Y Patehted Aug. 7, I900. DE WILTON R FRENCH.

STEAM EXCAVATDR.

(Application filed Dec. 14, 1899.)

3 8heetsSheet 2,

(No Model.)

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N0. 655,2l8. Patented Alig. 7,1900.

' DE WILTON R. FRENCH.

STEAM EXCAVATOR. (Application filed Dec. 4, 1899-) (No Model.) 3 Shaets-Sheet 3.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DE WILTON R. FRENCH, OF WESTPORT, WASHINGTON.

STEAM -EXCAVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,218, dated August 7, 1900. Application filed December 14, 1899. Serial No. 740,321; (No model.)

To whom it may cancer WK Be it known that 1, DE WILTON R. FRENCH,

a citizen of the United States,residing at Westport, in the county of Chehalis and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Excavators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to steam-excavators. The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be sim ple of construction, durable in use, and com:

being drawn forward in the act of sweeping Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the position of parts at the instant the dredge up dirt.

has reached the end of its forward travel and is in the act of being drawn back to its point of starting. Fig. 4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the plow-actuatin g leversand its rackbar.

In the drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention. r

1 denotes the body of the dredge, consisting of the parallel side pieces 2 and the curved end piece 3, the upper end of which terminates in a hood 4:, and the lower end of which has secured to it a removable shear 5.

6 denotes diagonal braces bolted to the side pieces of the dredge and having their upper ends joined together and projecting above the upper edges of the side pieces.

7 denotes a discharger, the lever-arms 8 of which project upwardly and are journaled upon a rod or shaft 9, bolted to the upper ends of the diagonal braces. The extreme upper ends of these arms are bolted together and 16 is journaled between said side bars immediatelyat the rear of the dredge-body.

Steps or supports 17 are bolted to the parallel portions 16 for the attendant or operator to stand upon. 18 denotes arms secured to the forward ends of these bars and having their forward ends converging and bolted to a draw-bar 19, to which the forward haul-line 20is attached. This haul-line and the haulline 12 are connected to the forward haulcable 21, while the return haul-'line22 is attached to the eye of the draw-bar 23, bolted between the parallel portions 16 of the side The rear end of this line 22 and the line bars. 13 are connect-ed to the return haul-cable24e.

25 denotes a gang of plows pivoted upon'al rod 26, bolted to the pivoted arms 18. These plows work in advance of the shear and cut into the earth, so that as the shear comes along it will have no difficulty in making a transverse cut and scooping dirt up into the body of the dredge. To adjust the depth of the cutmade by the plows, I provide levers 27, the forward ends of which are pivoted in bearings 28, swiveled to an arched bar 29, bolted to the forward end of the dredge-body. The forward ends of the levers are formed with hooks 30, which engage chains 31, connected to the plows. The rear ends of these levers are provided with fixed dogs 32, which are adapted to engage vertical racks 33 and be guided in their movement by rods 34. The racks 33, if desired, maybe connected at their upper ends by a cross-piece 35, and the inner sides of the levers may be provided with springs 36, adapted to have a sliding engagement with the guide-rods 34 and exert their energy to force the levers laterally to hold the fixed dogs in engagement with the rack-bars.

This lateral movement of the levers is permit- The operation ofthe machine isasfollows:

are provided with shackles 10 and 11, the for- V charger draws said lever-arms forward and" holds said discharger back against the rear end of the dredge and permits the dirt which is loosened by the plows and scraped up by the shear to lodge within the body of the dredge. After the dredge has reached the end of the line or the point at which it is desired to discharge its load .the cable 21 is released and the cable 24 is now drawn rearward, which through its connection 13' with the lever-arms of the discharger drawsthe leverarms rearward and swings the discharger forward, which will force the dirt from out of the dredge. After the dredge has been returned to its starting-point power is again applied to the cable 21 and thedredge is again drawn forward, as above described, and this operation is repeated until the de-. sired amount of dirt has been removed.

The machine is designed for grading, dredging, and handling earth, gravel, and loose rock and is hauled back and forth by two donkey-engines, one arranged at each end of the. line.

From'the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction, operation, and advantages ofv myimproved excavator will be readily apparent without requiring an extended explanation.

It will be seen that the device is simple,

that its construction permits of its manufacdesigned, and it will of course be understood 40 tune at small'cost, and that it is exceedingly well adapted for the purpose for which it is that variouschanges in. the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention,'what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is ,v I

1. The combination with the dredge-body provided with a. shear; of a gang of plows p'ivotally connected with the dredge-body in advance of the shear, and a discharger pivbtedwithi'n said body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. .Thecombination with the dredge-body provided with ,a shear; of a gang of plows .pivoted to the dredge-body in advanceof the ,shear,.a. pivoted lever, a connection between one end of the lever and the plows, and a rack-bar for engaging the opposite end of the lever for holding itin adjustment, substan- ;tially as and for the purpose set forth. g 3. The combination with the dredge-body provided with a shear; of a discharger pivoted within said body and provided withlever-arms, forward haul-lines,therear end of one connected to the lever-arms of the discharger, and the rear. end of the other con nected to the dredge-body, the forward ends of saidlines being connected to a forward haul-cable,whereby when the dredge is drawn forward, the discharger-will be held in the rear portionof the dredge, and return haullines, the forward end of one being connected 'to the lever-arms aforesaid, andthe forward end of the other connected to the dredgebody, the rear ends of said lines being connected. to a'return haul-cable,.whereby whenstrain is released from the forward haul-ca- .ble and strain exerted upon the rearward haul-cable, the discharger will be operated to discharge the .dirt from the dredge and the dredge be returned to its point of starting, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. DE WILTON R. FRENCH.

Witnesses:

GEORGE SIMMONDS,

PETER BETTINGER. 

